Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

State Sen. Gale Candaras and Friends of the Homeless Executive Director William Miller talk with a client in the dining room of the Resource Center on Friday. Miller is part of a coalition seeking increased funding for shelters next fiscal year, needing approval from the Legislature and Governor.
(Don Treeger / The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD – A statewide coalition of homeless agencies including Friends of the Homeless here, is lobbying the state Legislature for an increase in funding for shelter beds and services, saying the current system leaves many agencies in significant need.

The plea for additional funds occurs as the Legislature considers the state budget for the fiscal year 2015 beginning July 1.

William J. Miller, executive director of the Friends of the Homeless Shelter and Resource Center on Worthington Street, said that despite increases in the state-funded bed rate in recent years, there remains a disparity in funding across the state.

Friends of the Homeless and many other shelters are reimbursed at the minimum rate in the state of $25 per bed, per night - less than many other shelters despite being open around-the-clock, he said.

“Springfield has to fight for its rights, for adequate support and funding,” Miller said. “It’s an uphill battle. I know we look well-funded to the general public because we have such a nice facility. But we do have to pay to keep the lights on just like anyone else.”

The new homeless resource center opened approximately three years ago, along with renovations to the existing shelter building.

The Coalition for Homeless Individuals is proposing that the $40 million allocated for shelter beds and services statewide increase by $8 million.

Under its proposal, the minimum bed rate would rise from $25 to a new minimum rate of $32, the current state average, Miller said. In addition, the group is seeking a cost of living increase for other shelters and related services that have gone without an increase in more than a decade, he said.

The per-bed, per-night reimbursement rate currently ranges from the low of $25 to a high of $75 for the Somerville Homeless Coalition, according to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance.

Statewide, 22 shelters receive a bed rate under $32, and 18 receive a rate of over $32, according to the coalition.

Friends of the Homeless receives approximately $1 million annually from the state for its emergency shelter, going beyond the requirement for overnight lodging by providing case management, meals and other support services, and a safe haven during the day, Miller said.

Under the coalition’s proposal for an $8 million increase in shelter funding statewide, the Springfield program would receive an increase of about $350,000, he said. Its 24 hour shelter service model currently costs the agency approximately $1.8 million annually, the difference being made up with grants and fund-raising efforts.

State Sen. Gale Candaras, D-Wilbraham, and state Rep. Sean Curran, D-Springfield, said this week that they support increasing the state funding for shelter beds.

“We have a crisis on our hands in homelessness,” Candaras said. “The need is tremendous. They cannot provide the kind of services needed to provide and run a safe shelter without adequate funding.”

Miller praised Candaras for taking a lead role in lifting the minimum per-bed reimbursement rate in recent years, with the Springfield shelter among those directly helped.

Prior to those increases, Friends of the Homeless was being reimbursed at a rate of $12.97 per night for 85 beds $17.02 per night for 48 beds in fiscal year 2011.

The minimum rate rose to $20 per night in fiscal 2012, and to $25 per night in fiscal 2013, benefiting Friends of the Homeless and many other shelters, Miller said. The state rate did not increase for the current fiscal year that ends June 30.

Miller said he wishes that he could say that another increase in the bed rate will lead to greater services, but the increase would serve to help combat that shortfall in state funding and maintain services.

“I certainly would support an increase to organizations like Friends of the Homeless,” Curran said, praising the priority on helping the homeless to find housing.

Curran also praised the homeless agencies from around the state for bringing their efforts to the Statehouse

Miller said there have been, and will continue to be discussions with some of the legislators and their staff.

The Samaritan Inn in Westfield is also listed as part of the coalition but did not return telephone calls for comment this week.

Approximately 25 shelters and service providers statewide are listed as in the coalition including Open Pantry Community Services in Springfield and the Western Mass. Network to End Homelessness.